Thirty Strands of Pink Moss
by Taryn Streambattle
Summary: Zoro, Chopper, and snippets of their friendship. Ranges from AU/AR to missing scenes, tragedy, or just plain madcap insanity. Rated T for blood and general swearing. Nakamaship only. Entry for StormSoul22's contest.
1. Because We Are Nakama! Island Adventure!

**Title:** Because We Are Nakama! Zoro and Chopper's Island Adventure!**  
>Paring:<strong> Zoro and Chopper**  
>Theme: <strong>#1- Soap**  
>Rating:<strong> T**  
>Warning: <strong>Description of Blood and Zoro's mouth.**  
>Disclaimer(s):<strong> I don't own One Piece, why must I constantly repeat it? :'(

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><p>Zoro snapped awake as four figures approached the ship. "What's with the long faces?" he yawned, noting that even Chopper seemed down.<p>

The reindeer sighed dejectedly. "We went to the grove but all the blossoms were gone!"

"Hang on," Zoro interrupted, "What grove?"

"Zoro, honestly," the navigator sighed "we talked about this on the way in. This island is known for the white Chimonwa flowers that grow here. Chopper wanted to get some of the flowers in various stages of growth for use around the ship. They're a wonderful disinfectant and can be used in cooking as well as having various other medicinal uses. They don't grow anywhere else in the world."

"Nami dear is sooo smart! How sweet her voice is when she's talking sense into you idiots!"

"... So why did you and Robin go?" the swordsman asked, not bothering to question Sanji's clear intentions and ignoring Usopp's rendition of how he had rescued stolen plants from evil cows at the age of four and three quarters.

"I went because these flowers grew in very old ruins and I wished to examine them further. Luckily, the ruins were still intact, but all the flowers and any treasure in the area was taken out carefully."

"Urgh, stupid thieves! That was MY treasure!"

"Nami-swaaan is so right! They deserve a kick to the head for stealing her treasure!"

Zoro sighed and cracked his neck. No chance of getting a nap now- any second the witch might ask him to paint the deck or raise his debt for who knew what. Probably something stupid. He should probably do some exploring himself, maybe snag some meat. With Luffy on board, there was never enough meat.

"Right," he muttered as he leapt from the ship to the grassy ground.

"Oi! Zoro, where are you going?" Sanji shouted as he lit a cigarette.

"For a walk."

"Take Chopper with you!" the navigator demanded.

"Why?"

"Because we don't want you getting lost and Chopper needs to pick up medical supplies."

"But he was already out! Why didn't he get them earlier? And Luffy and Franky are exploring the town, they can get what we need!"

"Because the town's on the other side of the island from the ruins! We stopped by the ship so I could give him the necessary funds. No point in carrying money unless one has to. Besides, it's Luffy. Do you really think he can get medical supplies back here unbroken?"

"Fine. Whatever."

Chopper leapt from the ship, landing in Heavy Point. "Let's go!"

"Whatever," the swordsman muttered before turning towards the ocean and walking away.

Chopper sighed and grabbed his arm. "The village is that way!"

"I knew that! I was just testing you!"

"Then who told you where the town was?"

"Er... Usopp."

"Like you can believe anything he says!"

Nami sighed and banged her head against the wall. "Idiots," she sighed dramatically, "They're all idiots."

"Don't worry about them, Nami-san. Look, I made you a mikan drink! That should bring the smile back to your beautiful face!"

***/*/***

The town was loud. People milled about, laughing and talking, and he could hear his captain's laughter all the way on the other side of town.

Chopper had stopped at one medical store already when the swordsman heard a shrill voice that he'd hoped never to hear again.

"but Captain, what that man has done is wrong!"

He grabbed Chopper and pulled him behind a corner. "Not her," he muttered, "Why can't she just leave me alone!"

"Uh, Zoro-"

"Hush."

"...taking the Chimonwa flowers like that! The flowers belong to everybody!"

Smoker sighed and chewed his cigar. "From a governmental standpoint, it makes sense. Taking the flowers to the base ensures that pirates can't get ahold of them and use it for their own ends, but charging the citizens of this island for the use of the flowers that were theirs to begin with isn't right. This island thrived on tourism for those flowers and now that they're gone..."

Smoker didn't have to finish. Tashigi sighed and adjusted her glasses.

"It's just wrong," she muttered.

"It was the decision of Captain Reedo, the highest ranking officer stationed. on this island. Perhaps if we filed..."

Their voices faded.

Zoro peered around the edge of the wall, watching them walk away. "So, now we know where your flowers are, Chopper."

"Bastards! That's not right!"

"...You know, if that guy's acting without orders and charging for the flowers I bet you he's greedy."

"So?"

"A bribe could probably get us in and out of the tower. A hefty one, though... the flowers you could put in the bag you carried the money in. Then once we have them, we can give them to one of the town leaders, and we can keep some for the ship's medicine cabinet."

"But where are we going to get all that money? Nami will never go along with it!"

Zoro suddenly looked over at Chopper in Arm Point and smiled wolfishly.

***/*/***

The man at the desk was bored. Nothing ever happened on this shift. All the good stuff happened at Night! How was he going to impress Usaki if he was stuck on baby-sitting all day!

The door blew open violently.

The clerk gasped as a huge man stepped into the room. He had a pink top hat and a blue nose but his eyes were red and terrifying, he reeked of blood and death.

And slung over his shoulder was an unconscious Roronoa Zoro, bleeding from wounds all over his body and without his precious three swords.

"You going to give me the bounty or not?" the large man demanded indignantly.

"O-o! Um, ah right away!"

He dashed to the back room and checked Zoro's bounty. 120... million? The base didn't have that much money!

He grabbed a Den Den mushi and hissed the situation into it, babbling quickly. "Stall them," the captain on the other end ordered, "We'll come with soldiers and take care of it."

"But-" the line went dead.

He timidly collected all the money they had- a mere 10 million- and bravely walked out to face the man. "Uhm, sir? This.. Is all we have."

The bounty hunter gawked at the stack of bills. "Ten-million? That's- that's"

For a brief instant, Roronoa regained consciousness and whacked the hunter on the head. The large man battered Roronoa back into oblivion then howled at the guard, "That's not enough!"

"But it's all we have!" he blubbered. _Please don't kill me!_

"well, then... how about those flowers you stole from the people? I'll take those!"

"But that's not under my-"

The doors banged open and a squadron of armed Marines burst in, raising their guns.

"Freeze!"

The bounty hunter turned into the guns stuffed in his face, watching as the marine captain shoved his way to the front. His black hair was twisted into a beehive style, but his most notable feature was his huge reddened nose. He sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve before pointing at Chopper.

"Take the ten million! We refuse to give you anymore!"

"But- Ah- I-"

Then Roronoa yawned and sat up. "Hey, Don't I get any say in this? After all, it's my bounty."

All the guns trained on the swordsman, who just nonchalantly sat up. "Come on, the guy put up a long and hard fight to catch me, the least you can do is give him what he asks."

"Ah- well-"

Roronoa walked over to the Marine captain and put his face up close to his. He smiled, showing his white teeth- which, contrary to rumor, were not pointed like a shark's- and produced a cloth bag from his haramaki, which he placed on the red nose. The metallic jingle from the bag provided no doubt as to what was in the bag.

"I'm sure you can make an exception. Accept his demands."

The marine captain's attitude changed. He smiled and took the bag, nodding with a wide smile. "O-of course, take the flowers!"

Zoro tugged his swords off the back of the bounty hunter and walked towards the door.

"H-hey! You're supposed to go into the cell!"

Zoro turned. "Huh? Oh, that. That was before you tried to shirk out of paying him." He smiled again and took a step back. "Now, you have to catch me yourself."

Then he was gone, quickly tailed by a stampede of marines.

The clerk stared at the empty room.

"So, how about those flowers?" the bounty hunter demanded.

Shuddering, he complied, leading him to the room full of white blossoms. He helped the hunter load the crates into a big cart, then worked up the courage to ask one question right before the hunter left.

"Was he.. does Roronoa really drink blood?"

"Huh? Oh. No, but it would be better than sake!"

"What? The hell am I doing back here at the base!"

"Zoroooo we're supposed to be long gone! Get in the cart- come on, hurry!"

"The hell, Chopper- I can walk!"

"Not to any reasonable place! Moron! One of these days you're going to walk off a cliff!"

"I am not! Geez, Chopper, you're so paranoid!"

"Paranoid? Well, you try being calm when your..."

They faded into the distance, arguing and jabbing at each other the entire way.

The clerk blinked, and stared after them in confusion, then shrugged. Now he had something impressive to tell Usaki!

***/*/***

"So now what?"

The swordsman cracked his neck, yawning. He really needed a nap. "Hmm, that's a bit of a problem," he muttered. "We could always return them to the town officials. You filled your bag, right?"

"Right!"

"So, where exactly is the office-"

"_Yah!_"

"The Strawhat ran this way!"

"Catch him!"

Both pirates looked up and Luffy and Franky tore past with an angry mob on their tail, throwing things and waving torches.

"...OK, so much for that plan. Morons."

"Now what?"

"I dunno, you're the doctor, you figure it out!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I thought doctors were smart."

"_Say that again you-_"

"Captain Smoker, they ran this way!"

"Aw, crap!" The swordsman dove behind a tree, peering around it as Tashigi and Smoker ran past.

"That's it! We can put the flowers on their ship!"

"...You mean walk up to a ship full of marines and dump valuable flowers onto their decks without getting shot or killed?"

"...Well, when you put it that way..."

"Huh, sounds like fun. Come on, Chopper, let's go! Maybe we can do it before the crazy lady comes back."

"..Uh, the docks are that way."

"Shut up!"

"Hey, where'd you get the money for the bribe anyway?"

"Let's just say I have a secret stash I hide from the witch for emergencies, now come _on_ before the crazy lady comes back!"

"Are you afraid of her, Zoro?"

"Hell no, she just... I am not afraid! Stop laughing, dammit!"

"Bwahaha, I'm sorry, I mean, she's just a girl."

"Ugh, why the hell did I ever agree to get these stupid flowers with you?" the swordsman muttered, dragging the cart behind him as he lumbered towards the Marine ship.

Chopper grinned as he jumped then shrank into Brain Point, attaching himself to the back of Zoro's head. "Cause we're nakama."


	2. Fallen

**Title:** Fallen**  
>Pairing: <strong>Zoro Chopper nakamaship**  
>Theme:<strong> #3- Blue**  
>Rating: T. <strong>THA ANGST. IT BURNS US PRECIOUS. At least, it burns you cause I wrote it and is therefore immune. :P**  
>Warning:<strong> As above.**  
>Disclaimer(s): <strong>I don't own One Piece. I don't own Zoro. I don't Own Chopper, but that's because my little brother does own a plush reindeer. I suggested he name it Chopper and he enthusiastically agreed.

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><p>Chopper emitted a low moan of frustration as the spark spluttered, gagged, and died.<p>

He struck the rock against Zoro's white blade again, but with no result.

It was no use. The fuel was too wet.

He looked over at the shivering, pale human huddled against the wall. Chopper did not feel the cold. His fur was warm and trapped his body heat against his skin. Zoro's clothes were wet and cold, so Chopper had tried to strip them off as quickly as possible then build a fire. No such luck.

They had been exploring on a winter island and had been overlooking the vast expanse from a perch halfway up the mountain side when the ledge underneath gave way and sent them tumbling down. In their attempt to climb back up to the other side, Zoro had fallen through a patch of thin ice and Chopper had only been able to pull him out because Zoro's thrashing caused the water to move enough so he could shift into Horn Point and hook the swordsman's haramaki without giving himself sea poisoning.

With every passing second, the swordsman grew weaker and weaker. And Chopper... Chopper was useless.

He gritted his teeth and struck the rock again. A faint spark flared, caught on the wet cloth, them petered into nothing.

Chopper looked back at the shivering swordsman. His eyes were glassy and he had stopped hissing out swear words. Silence.

"Oh, no. Zoro! Zoro! Say something!" He smacked the swordsman, once, twice, fiercely until finally the older pirate's eyes cracked open.

"Tryina sleep. Leave me 'lone."

"No, Zoro, you can't go to sleep," Chopper cried desperately, shaking him desperately, "Zoro, listen to me. Listen to me! Wake up!"

"Cold. Stupid cook let the fire go out," the swordsman murmured.

"No, Zoro, we're lost. Stay awake. Stay awake. Please. Please wake up. Wake up. Wake up! Zoro! Zoro!"

No response from the swordsman's still form.

"Please," the reindeer begged as he shifted to Heavy Point and lay on top of the swordsman in a last, desperate effort to warm up the swordsman's flesh, flesh cold and rigid as a fish out of water. "Please wake up."


End file.
